A model and photographer was arrested after snapping a "s3xy" photoshoot at a pyramid in Egypt. Snaps of Salma al-Shimi posing in a Pharoah-like outfit were branded "provocative and offensive" when they were shared on social media last week.
But
authorities faced a backlash after the arrests, purportedly for taking photos
next to the Step Pyramid of Djoser - which dates back 4,700 years - without
permission.
Photographer
Houssam Mohammad and al-Shimi are accused of "taking photos without
authorisation in the Saqqara archaeological site", Middle East Eye
reports.
They were
released on bail on Tuesday after widespread criticism of the arrests.
Al-Shimi, who
has thousands of followers on Instagram, was taken into custody after the
images were widely shared.
They have
since been taken down.
A police
source last week said, according to The Guardian: "A photographer has been
arrested after a private shoot with dancer Salma al-Shimi in the archaeological
zone."
Outraged
officials reportedly branded the photos disrespectful.
Mostafa
Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, told the
Al-Watan news site that anyone who “disrespects” Egyptian civilization would
face punishment.
Speaking in
front of a prosecutor, the model said her intention had been to promote tourism
rather than cause offence.
And puzzled
Egyptians hit out at the excuse for the arrest.
No comments:
Post a Comment